The Bible was the only book he read. He didn't read it often but when he did he wore his mother's glasses. They tired his eyes so that after a short time he was always obliged to stop. Flannery O'Connor More Quotes by Flannery O'Connor More Quotes From Flannery O'Connor The writer operates at a peculiar crossroads where time and place and eternity somehow meet. His problem is to find that location. Flannery O'Connor location peculiar problem One old lady who wants her head lifted wouldn't be so bad, but you multiply her two hundred and fifty thousand times and what you get is a book club. Flannery O'Connor fifty two book I am not afraid that the book will be controversial, I'm afraid it will not be controversial. Flannery O'Connor not-afraid controversial book The Southerner is usually tolerant of those weaknesses that proceed from innocence. Flannery O'Connor southerner innocence weakness It seems that the fiction writer has a revolting attachment to the poor, for even when he writes about the rich, he is more concerned with what they lack than with what they have. Flannery O'Connor attachment writing fiction The basis of art is truth, both in matter and in mode. Flannery O'Connor art-is matter art In most good stories, it is the character's personality that creates the action of the story. If you start with real personality, a real character, then something is bound to happen. Flannery O'Connor real personality character The writer can choose what he writes about but he cannot choose what he is able to make live. Flannery O'Connor able literature writing The writer should never be ashamed of staring. There is nothing that does not require his attention. Flannery O'Connor literature doe attention The only way, I think, to learn to write short stories is to write them, and then try to discover what you have done. Flannery O'Connor writing trying thinking When you can state the theme of a story, when you can separate it from the story itself, then you can be sure the story is not a very good one. Flannery O'Connor theme states stories Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. Flannery O'Connor hair writing fall Manners are of such great consequence to the novelist that any kind will do. Bad manners are better than no manners at all, and because we are losing our customary manners, we are probably overly conscious of them; this seems to be a condition that produces writers. Flannery O'Connor novelists losing literature I write any sort of rubbish which will cover the main outlines of the story, then I can begin to see it. Flannery O'Connor rubbish stories writing Where there is no belief in the soul, there is very little drama . . . . Either one is serious about salvation or one is not. And it is well to realize that the maximum amount of seriousness admits the maximum amount of comedy. Only if we are secure in our beliefs can we see the comical side of the universe. Flannery O'Connor soul littles drama Kindness and patience were always called for. Flannery O'Connor kindness-and-patience kindness the writer is initially set going by literature more than by life. Flannery O'Connor experience literature Our age not only does not have a very sharp eye for the almost imperceptible intrusions of grace, it no longer has much feeling for the nature of the violences which precede and follow them. Flannery O'Connor eye grace feelings My own approach to literary problems is very like the one Dr. Johnson's blind housekeeper used when she poured tea-she put her finger inside the cup. Flannery O'Connor cups drs tea The only way to the truth is through blasphemy. Flannery O'Connor truth-is truth way
